Fulham head coach, Marco Silva, and former Liverpool defender, Jamie Carragher, have both lauded the impressive performances of Super Eagles versatile defender, Calvin Chinedu Bassey, this season.

The 25-year-old has been rock solid for the Cottagers in the current campaign, starting 29 of their 32 Premier League games, showcasing remarkable durability and consistency.

Bassey’s stellar performance in Fulham’s stunning 3-2 victory over league leaders Liverpool last week particularly caught the eye, with his dominant display against Mohamed Salah drawing special praise.

“Last week, Calvin Bassey was fantastic. He plays in my position, and I was so impressed with him,” Carragher said about the Super Eagles centre-back.

Silva joined in the chorus of acclaim, showering accolades on the former Rangers defender, who has successfully put his difficult spell at Ajax behind him.

“I know him very well, I’ve said it several times since he joined us after a really difficult spell in Ajax and his time at Rangers,” Silva remarked.

“We really believe in him. I really believe that he’s capable of playing at a very high level. He ticks all the boxes of what a modern footballer and modern defender must be,” the former Watford coach added.

The Nigerian defender was instrumental in keeping Liverpool’s prolific goalscorer Salah quiet throughout their recent encounter, restricting the Egyptian to zero shots on target while making five clearances, three tackles, one interception, and blocking a shot.

When quizzed about areas where Bassey needs improvement, the Fulham manager highlighted aerial ability as a key development point.

“He really has to improve his aerial duels. All the other things? He has them. He has the ability on the ball, he’s quick, and strong in the duels. He has to be more concentrated to be more focused in all the moments of the game,” Silva explained.

“If he’s able to stay focused throughout the game, then he’s able to play the way he plays. He’s very aggressive and he’s very quick.”

Fulham are currently 9th on the English Premier League table, six points away from Chelsea, who are in sixth. The Cottagers are dreaming of qualifying for European football for the first time in fifteen years as they continue their impressive campaign with Bassey at the heart of their defence.